The present invention relates to assembleable containers including dividers for providing cells therein, and more particularly, to such a container wherein the container dividers are assuredly positioned for full assembly upon unfolding of the container from a partially assembled shipping position.
A prior art assembleable container 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1 and includes (proceeding from left to right in the figure): a joining tab 11; a divider 12, including a slot 12a and bottom edges 12b and 12c; a joining tab 16; a back panel 17; a top panel 18; a top flap 19; a side panel 20; a side top flap 24; a bottom tab 25; a divider 26 including a slot 27 with a deepest point 28; a front panel 32; a bottom panel 33, including a bottom flap 34; a side panel 35; a side top flap 36; and a bottom side flap 37. Additionally, container 10 includes a plurality of scores which are formed in a well-known manner and allow the box to be easily assembled by folding the respective sections at the scores. Thus, to partially assemble container 10, tab 11 is affixed to side 20 and tab 16 is affixed to side 35 using an adhesive.
After tabs 11 and 16 are affixed to sides 20 and 35 respectively, container 10 is folded flat for shipment, as illustrated in FIG. 2. When the container is folded flat, divider 26 is folded on a score 52 and positioned within the interior of the container between divider 12 and front panel 32. To unfold container 10 from the folded flat shipping position, divider 26 is slid through slot 12a so that the container may move to the open position illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. Preferably, upon unfolding of the container, flap 26 will be positioned as illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 3, so that flap 25 and divider 26 may be moved up into the position 25B and 26B illustrated in dashed lines in FIG. 3, wherein divider 26 is received within slot 12a of divider 12, and divider 12 is received in slot 27 of divider 26. In this position, flap 25 will be positioned under bottom edge 12b of divider 12, bottom flap 37 can then be pushed up under the bottom edge 12c of divider 12. Flap 34 may then be received within the container between divider 26 and back 17 so that bottom 33 will cover bottom flaps 25 and 37.
However, when unfolded from the flat shipping position (FIG. 2) to the open position of FIGS. 3 and 4, divider 26 of container 10 is often positioned as illustrated by phantom flaps 25A and 26A in FIG. 3. This incorrect positioning of flap 25 and divider 26 is due to the bias in score 52 which pulls flap 25 and divider 26 toward the position they assume when folded flat. As illustrated in FIG. 4, incorrect positioning of divider 26 places apex 28 of slot 27 against edge 12b of divider 12. A machine for assembling the containers will thus push flap 25 and divider 26 upwardly and apex 28 of slot 27 will be driven into bottom edge 12b of divider 12, damaging both dividers 12 and 26, and destroying the container. Consequently, the cost of useful containers is increased due to the substantial number of containers which are destroyed during assembly. Alternatively, the cartons may be unfolded and fully assembled by hand. However, the person assembling the container must manually move divider 26 into slot 12a before pushing the dividers together, which increases manual assembly time.